Written questions by Payne.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to paragraph 5.149 of the Autumn Budget, whether receipts from right to buy sales (a) are ringfenced for new council housing or (b) can be used for general spending by local authorities.

At the Budget on 30 October 2024, the Chancellor confirmed that local authorities can now retain 100% of their receipts from Right to Buy sales.Approximately 65% of these receipts are conditionally retained by councils on the basis that they will be used for replacement social housing and approximately 35% may be used for any capital purpose, including for replacement housing.In our recent Reforming the Right to Buy consultation, we sought views from local authorities and other stakeholders on simplifying the rules governing the use of Right to Buy receipts. We are analysing responses to that consultation and will set out next steps in due course.

With reference to paragraph 3.19 of the Autumn Budget 2024, HC 295, published on 30 October 2024, how much of the £500 million funding for pothole repairs will be awarded to each local authority.

The Government takes the condition of local roads very seriously and is committed to maintaining and renewing the local highway network. Each local highway authority is responsible for the condition of its local network. Highway maintenance funding alloca...

What the total allocation given to each Local Authority is for pothole repairs.

The Government takes the condition of local roads very seriously and is committed to maintaining and renewing the local highway network. Each local highway authority is responsible for the condition of its local network. Highway maintenance funding alloca...

What steps he plans to take to support veterans in Gedling constituency.

This is a Government of service that will always stand up for those who serve our country, across the whole of the UK. I am working across Government and with civil society to ensure veterans, including those in Gedling, get access to the health, housing, employment and other support they need, and looking at the best way to deliver this support.

What steps he plans to take to support community pharmacies in Gedling constituency.

Pharmacies play a vital role in our healthcare system. We are committed to expanding the role of pharmacies and better utilising the skills of pharmacists and pharmacy technicians, including by cutting red tape. That includes making prescribing part of the services delivered by community pharmacists. We are currently consulting with Community Pharmacy England on the national funding and contractual framework arrangements, including in Gedling, for 2024/25.

What recent assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of the provision of special education needs and disability (SEND) services for children in Nottinghamshire; and what steps she plans to take to support local authorities in Nottinghamshire to help improve the delivery of SEND services.

The last local area special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) inspection by Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission (CQC) for Nottinghamshire was in February 2023. Following the inspection, the department is closely monitoring the areas for priority action and improvement that were identified by inspectors and the progress made by children and young people with SEND, and has appointed a SEND adviser to support the local area SEND partnership. Nottinghamshire County Council is committed to working closely with the department to improve services and has established an independently chaired improvement board and published a SEND priority action plan to address the issues identified in the inspection report. An Ofsted and CQC monitoring inspection will be carried out approximately 18 months after the initial inspection and the next full area SEND inspection will take place within approximately three years. This government’s ambition is that all children and young people with SEND or in alternative provision receive the right support to succeed in their education and as they move into adult life. The department is committed to taking a community-wide approach in collaboration with local area partnerships to improving inclusivity and expertise in mainstream schools, and to ensuring special schools cater to those with the most complex needs.

What steps she is taking to improve road (a) maintenance and (b) conditions in (i) Gedling constituency and (ii) Nottinghamshire.

This Government takes the condition of local roads seriously and is committed to maintaining and renewing our road network as a priority, on which Ministers will say more in future. Maintenance of the local highway network within Nottinghamshire, including the constituency of Gedling, is the responsibility of Nottinghamshire County Council. For 2024/25, Nottinghamshire County Council has been allocated over £20 million to help it maintain its local highway network. Future funding beyond 2024/25 is matter for the next Spending Review.

How many open dentistry practices were accepting adult NHS patients in Gedling constituency (a) on the most recent date for which data is available and (b) in 2010.

While the data requested is not available for 2010, as of 10 July 2024, there were 13 open dentistry practices in the Gedling constituency, two of which were showing as accepting new adult patients. This data is sourced from the Find a Dentist website, and is matched to constituencies based on the postcode data shown on the website, which is available at the following link:https://www.nhs.uk/service-search/find-a-dentist

What the real terms per pupil funding was for (a) primary and (b) secondary schools in Nottinghamshire in each financial year since 2010.

The table below provides per-pupil funding units from 2018/19 to 2023/24, which represents the funding provided for schools in Nottinghamshire each year in the schools block of the dedicated schools grant (DSG). The department cannot provide comparable funding for Nottinghamshire back to 2010, due to the changes in the funding system since that time. The scope of the per-pupil funding before and after 2018/19 are not directly comparable. In particular, the central services provided by local authorities were split out from the schools block funding in 2018/19, and instead funded separately through the central school services block from that year onwards. The figures in the table below are provided on a cash basis. The department also publishes real-terms statistics on schools funding at the national level, which does not distinguish by phase. The department uses the GDP deflator to calculate real-terms funding levels. These can be found here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/school-funding-statistics and https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/methodology/school-funding-statistics-methodology. YearDSG Schools Block Unit of Funding PrimarySecondary​2018/19£3,927£4,985​2019/20£3,946£5,013​2020/21£4,125£5,218​2021/22£4,467£5,650​2022/23£4,592£5,817​2023/24£4,814£6,1452024/25£5,071£6,470 These figures do not include funding for growth, premises or additional funding received through supplementary grants.

Communities and Local Government, what her planned timetable is for banning Section 21 evictions.

As announced in the King’s Speech on 17 July, the Government will bring forward a Renters’ Rights Bill as a priority. The Bill will level decisively the playing field between landlord and tenant and end Section 21 ‘no fault’ evictions.

Whether his Department is taking steps to (a) increase research funding, (b) improve access to specialist care and (c) provide better support for (i) people living with motor neurone disease and (ii) their families.

The Government’s responsibility for delivering motor neurone disease (MND) research is shared between the Department of Health and Social Care, with research delivered by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), and the Department of Science, Innovation and Technology, with research delivered via UK Research and Innovation (UKRI). Significant recent investments include, but are not limited to, £12.5 million to support the best science in the UK Dementia Research Institute, £8 million for early phase clinical research and the Experimental medicine Route To Success in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis platform trial, and £6 million for the MND Translational Accelerator. In 2022, Government funders also published a joint NIHR and Medical Research Council Highlight Notice, inviting researchers across the academic and life sciences sector to submit applications via open call. The MND Highlight Notice invites proposals for research to address important health and social care questions, and seeks to increase the amount of MND research funded.NHS England commissions the specialised care and treatment that patients with MND may receive from the 24 specialised neurology centres across England. NHS England has published a service specification setting out national standards for organisations that provide specialised neurological care. This sets out that the service should improve the quality of life and the experience of the services for patients and their carers. The support provided includes the provision of multi-disciplinary care from specialist clinicians, including neurologists, specialist nurses, speech and language therapists, dietetics and nutrition, and physiotherapy, depending on individual clinical need. Further information is available at the following link: https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/d04-neurosci-spec-neuro.pdf At the national level, there are a number of initiatives supporting service improvement and better care for patients with MND, including the RightCare Progressive Neurological Conditions Toolkit and the Getting It Right First Time Programme for Neurology. NHS England has also established a Neurology Service Transformation Programme, a multi-year, clinically led programme to develop a new model of integrated care for neurology services, including MND. In addition, NHS England commissions a specialised communication aids service known as Augmentative and Alternative Communication, as set out in the published service specification. This service supports individuals with rapidly degenerative conditions, including MND, who are prioritised for this service. Further information is available at the following link: https://www.england.nhs.uk/commissioning/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/03/aac-serv-spec-jan-2016.pdf

What her planned timetable is for introducing banking hubs in communities affected by bank branch closures.

The Government recognises the importance of banking to communities and high streets and has committed to work closely with banks to roll out 350 banking hubs over the next five years. So far, 147 banking hubs have been recommended and Cash Access UK, the industry body responsible for banking hub deployment, expects 100 banking hubs to be open before the end of the year. These will provide individuals and businesses up and down the country with critical cash and banking services. While not the same as a bank branch, alternative options to access everyday banking services can also include telephone banking, through digital means such as mobile or online banking, and via one of the UK’s 11,500 Post Office branches.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to support the improvement of flood (a) defences and (b) resilience in Gedling constituency.

Environment Agency inspection of flood risk management assets defending the southern edge of Gedling did not identify any significant damage following winter storms. Maintenance of these assets can include blockage removal, vegetation management, and further interventions where needed, such as recent embankment repairs in Gedling. The Environment Agency estimate that c.£121,000 was spent on maintenance in Gedling in 2023/24, with approximately £300,000 planned for 2024/25. There are no capital schemes planned in the constituency for this 6-year programme as the River Trent is well defended, benefitting from the £45M 2012 Nottingham Trent Left Bank scheme. The Environment Agency has several strategic programmes in the constituency which may be added to our future capital pipeline.